• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2003

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), is a widespread environmental pollutant. In this study, we investigated the effect of DDT on testosterone production through aromatase and investigated its molecular mechanism in testicular leydig cell, R2C. We investigated that the effects of DDT on testosterone production and its effects on aromatase activity in R2C cell by radio immunoassay (RIA). As the results, the potent leyding cell activator LH increased testosterone production compared to the control. DDT exposure significantly decreased testosterone production in R2C cell and DDT alone affected T reduction in a dose-dependent manner in R2C cell slightly. In addition, DDT was found to increase aromatase activity in R2C cell in a dose dependent manner. In order to assess whether the suppressive effects of DDT on LH-inducible testosterone production might be influenced by the ER, ICI 182.780, a pure antiestrogen, was used, and it was found that these inhibitory effects of DDT were antagonized by ICI 182.780, implying that the ER mediates the suppressive effects of DDT. Furthermore, the inducible effects of DDT on aromatase might be influenced by the ER, ICI 182.780 was used, and it was found that these enhancing effects of DDT were antagonized by ICI 182.780, implying that the ER mediates the inducible effects of DDT. Our results indicated that DDT inhibition of LH-inducible testosterone production in R2C is mediated through aromatase. However, the precise mechanisms by which DDT enhance in leyding cell remains unknown. The current study suggests the possibility that DDT might act as a modulator aromatase gene transcription.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.705-711
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• 2019

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common urogenital disorder in men, benign tumor and is a typical disease deteriorating the quality of old men's lives, and its prevalence increases with age. Though the molecular pathogenesis of BPH has not yet been clearly revealed, it is known that the variation and aging of the endocrine including sex hormone may cause BPH. Especially the hypertrophy of the prostate cell by the formation of the excessive dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is estimated to cause BPH. If testosterone exists excessively in blood, a lot of DHT is produced in prostate by $5{\alpha}-reductase$. Thus, in this study we tried to analyze haematological change and histopathological change by using the model rat with BPH caused by hypodermic injection of testosterone to prove the effect of Houttuynia cordata extracts on BPH. Rats were divided into four experimental groups: no treatment group (N), the testosterone injection and D.W treatment group (DO), the testosterone injection and Houttuynia cordata treatment group (HO) and testosterone injection and finasteride treatment group (FO). Prostate weight, volume and weight ratio in the HO and FO groups were significantly lower than the DO group. Testosterone and DHT levels in the HO group were significantly lower than the DO group. The HO and FO groups showed trophic symptoms and were lined by flattened epithelial cells, thus, the stromal proliferation is relatively low as compared to the DO group. These results suggest that Houttuynia cordata may control benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.2995-3000
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• 2013

We investigated the effects of testosterone on the improvement of white adipose tissue explant and its molecular mechanism in adipose tissue of high fat diet-fed male castrated (CAST) mice. The CAST mice treated with testosterone had lower adipose tissue weights, the average size of adipocytes and mRNA levels of $C/EBP{\alpha}$ as well as adipocyte marker genes than the vehicle-treated CAST mice. These results suggest that testosterone prevent the expression of $C/EBP{\alpha}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$-mediated adipocyte marker genes, resulting in decreased adipose tissue mass and adipocyte metabolism in male CAST mice. Moreover, this study give a valuable molecular and biological knowledge on testosterone therapy in obese hypogonadal men.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.947-951
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• 2008

Zinc is an essential trace element participating in many physiological functions and notably an important function for sperm physiology. Zinc-enriched yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, isolated from tropical fruit rambutan. This strain contained 306 ppm zinc concentration and other components contained by K 28,640 ppm, Mg 2,342 ppm, Na 1,048 ppm, Ca 366 ppm, Fe 236 ppm and Mn 4 ppm. The serum concentration of testosterone was decreased in ethanol treatment rats. As compared with ethanol treated control rats, the zinc-enriched yeast strain supplementation showed significantly increased the testosterone concentration in serum. In addition, zinc concentration in serum was decreased in alcohol treatment, but this reduction was significantly increased by zinc-enriched yeast strain supplementation in ethanol feeding rats. These results indicate that zinc-enriched yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain could play an important role in the sperm physiology by the marked elevation of serum testosterone concentration.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 1990

Clinical effects of intramuscular injection of 250mg testosterone cypionate every 2-3 weeks were investigated in 15 impotent patients with low or low normal serum testosterone level (Hypo-gonadotrophic hypogonadism was excluded). The results were obtained as follows. 1. Among 15 patients, 7(46.7%) showed markedly improved potency, 6(40%) partially improved potency and 2(13.7%) no improvement of potency. There was no correlation between effec-tiveness of testosterone replacement and age, testicular size, serum testosterone level or LH, FSH level. 2. Among 12 patients who had showed improved potency, 8(66.7%) complained of redeveloped decrease in potency during testosterone replacement. In conclusion, testosterone cypionate for treatment of the impotent patients with low or low normal serum testosterone level was effective, but further studies are necessary to investigate cause of redeveloped decrease in potency during testosterone replacement.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.492-498
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• 2015

Testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) is normally observed in elderly men and is a clinical and biochemical syndrome, characterized by a decline in plasmic testosterone levels resulting in a significant decrease in quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a mixed extract of fenugreek seeds and Lespedeza cuneata (YHM) on TDS. Rats were divided into three groups: the negative control, YHM-40 (40 mg/kg), and YHM-80 (80 mg/kg) groups. After 4 weeks of YMH administration, an increase was observed in the plasmic testosterone levels, vastus lateralis muscular strength, forced swimming time, total sperm counts, and motile sperm counts in YHM-40 and YHM-80 groups compared to the negative control group. Moreover, sex hormone binding globulin, the epididymal fat pad, total plasmic cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were significantly decreased in the YHM-fed groups. However, prostate specific antigen, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels did not differ among the groups. These results suggest that YHM may enhance testosterone levels in elderly men and alleviate TDS without common side effects.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 1992

흰쥐 정자의 성숙과정중에 일어나는 부정소 상피세포, 내강 및 정자 사이의 상호관계를 알아보기 위하여 각 실험군 별로 웅성호르몬 투여에 따른 탄수화물 관기의 함량 변화를 측정하였고, tunicamycin 투여 후 hexosamine의 할량 변화를 살펴봄으로써 glycosylation되는 장소를 확인하였다. 부정소두와 부정소이 상피세포내의 hexose 함량은 거세 후 5일군부터 유의성있게 감소하였고, testosterone 투여시는 각각 5일 , 10일군부터 유의하게 증가하였으며 , hexosamine과 sialic acid의 경우도 통계적으로 유의하게 변화하는 시기는 달랐으나 hexose와 유사하게 증가와 감소하는 경향이 나타났으므로 이러한 하나하나의 탄수화물 관기의 함량 변화는 웅성호르몬에 의존적임을 알 수 있었다. Tunicamycin을 투여하여 hexosamine의 함량 변화를 측정하였을 때 투여 기간에 따라 상피세포와 내강액에서 유의하게 감소하였으나, 정자에서는 일관성있게 감소되지 않았으므로 정자가 직접 hexosamine또는 여러 당단백질 합성에 관여하는 것은 아니며 부정소상피세포나 내장에 의하여 영향받을 수 있다는 가능성을 확인하였다.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.482-487
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• 2014

This study is to investigate the effects of testosterone on adipogenesis and its molecular mechanism using RT-PCR analysis and transient transfection assays. Castrated(CAST) mice treated with testosterone had lower white adipose tissue weights and expression of adipocyte-specific genes($PPAR{\gamma}$ and aP2) than CAST control mice. Consistent with the in vivo data, testosterone treatment inhibited triglyceride accumulation and expression of adipocyte-specific genes($PPAR{\gamma}$ and aP2) in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells compared with control group. Testosterone-activated androgen receptor(AR) repressed the luciferase reporter gene activity induced by $PPAR{\gamma}$ transfection. Thus, these results suggest that testosterone downregulates the actions of $PPAR{\gamma}$ on adipogenesis through AR.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1063-1073
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• 2016

Male climacteric syndrome, andropause, or testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS) is one of the new health issues in elderly men. It is a natural phenomenon that happens with age in men, which is clinically characterized by a decline in levels of serum testosterone resulting in a significantly decreasing of physical and mental activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the putative alleviative effects of dandelion extract on the symptoms of TDS by increasing serum testosterone levels and compare the efficacy between dandelion extract (DE) and fermented dandelion extract (FDE). After daily intake of DE and FDE for 4 weeks, serum testosterone levels, muscles of vastus lateralis, forced swimming time, total sperm counts, and motile sperm counts were significantly increased in older rats (22 weeks). Additionally, SHBG, epididymal fat pad, total serum cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly decreased in DE and FDE fed groups. However, PSA levels were not different among all groups. Furthermore, DE and FDE enhanced the expression of genes related to testosterone biosynthesis in TM3 Leydig cells. Overall, these positive effects on andropause were greater in FDE compared to DE. These results suggest the potential of FDE as a safe and efficacious natural material for recovering testosterone levels and reducing andropause symptoms.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.35-48
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• 1988

This study was made to investigate the effect of testosterone and cyclic-AMP (cAMP) on rat epididymis. Peritoneai injections of testosterone and cAMP to rats were earned out The activities of acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured and ultrastructural changes of luminal epithelial cells were observed. As a result, the activity of ACP was significanily decreased on the third day, that of ALP on the fifth day and that of LDH on the seventh day respectively in castrated group. In addition, the activities of ACP and ALP were significanily increased when treated with testosterone for 5 days, that of LDH when treated with testosterone for 7 days. In case of cAMP and cAMP - theophylline injection, the activities of ACP and LDH were increased but the range of increase was of no significance. However a significant increase in the activity of ALP was seen on both cases. On electron microscopic examination, gradually deformed Golgi complex, destructed mitochondria and disrupted stereociha were observed in castrated group. In case of testosterone injection, disrupted Golgi complex, mitochondria and stereocilia showed recovery. When cAMP and cAMP-theophylline were injected as an alternative, various cytoplasmic organelles as well as Golgi com- plex were recovered but stereocilia remained unrecovered.